The fact that alcoholic beverages are harmful to health is known to almost all people. However, rarely does anyone delve into the mechanisms of the influence of alcohol on the psychological and physical condition of a person. For example, how does the popular strong drink cognac act - dilates or narrows blood vessels? What are the consequences of its regular use and can alcoholism develop if you regularly take this drink a little, for example, with coffee or Coca-Cola? The answers to all these questions are presented in the article.
Due to what is the intoxication from taking cognac
As in the case of any other alcoholic beverage, intoxication is achieved due to the content of ethyl alcohol in the composition. Depending on the type of beverage, the concentration of this substance may vary. The minimum concentration is 4.5%, the maximum is up to 65% (however, such strong drinks can strongly burn the mucous membrane, therefore it is recommended to use them in the form of cocktails, i.e. dilute them).
In cognac, the concentration of ethyl alcohol (a substance that, in fact, causes intoxication) is 40%. If a smaller number is indicated on the bottle label, it is not brandy, but tincture or another drink.
Many people, especially those with a tendency to hypertension, are interested in the question: “Does cognac constrict or expand the vessels of the brain?” It is not possible to answer this question in a monosyllabic, since the answer depends on many factors - the amount of alcohol consumed, the quality of the cognac, the person’s tendency to “continue the banquet,” adding other drinks to the cognac, etc.
Is there a difference: take cognac in its pure form or mix in the form of a cocktail?
Many people add a spoon or two of brandy to strong coffee. If there are problems with pressure, the answer to the following question is important: does the vessels expand or contract, and how does natural coffee act on the vessels?
The fact is that with the use of meager doses (20-40 ml) dilates blood vessels. And, accordingly, lowers the pressure. Vasodilation for hypertensive patients is necessary to cope with excessive blood pressure. But coffee has the opposite effect: this drink constricts blood vessels. Thus, if you mix these two drinks, the reaction of the body and, in particular, the cardiovascular system, is very unpredictable.
What happens to the body after taking 30-50 ml of brandy
If you take a relatively small dose of the drink, does cognac constrict or expand the vessels of the brain? The answer to this question interests many people who suffer from problems with blood pressure, because the state of the vessels affects this indicator. As a rule, if you take a strong drink (in particular, cognac) in a relatively small dosage (30-50 ml), then the following effect is observed:
- blood vessels dilate gradually and moderately;
- the walls of the arteries lose their tone for a short time;
- blood circulates freely, a person, as a rule, experiences relief if he suffers from hypertension;
- as a consequence of this effect, the pressure drops.
With regular use, the effect persists. It is very important not to overdo it with the dosage, otherwise the opposite effect develops - the effect of cognac on the vessels changes. This mechanism is associated with the fact that ethyl alcohol is primarily a fairly toxic substance, and by no means a medicine.
Does cognac constrict or dilate the vessels of the brain?
Why are so many people concerned about this issue? The fact is that hypertensive patients (people who suffer from high blood pressure) are constantly feeling unwell due to their particular physical condition. A small dose of good quality cognac is a simple and affordable way to normalize blood pressure. Only it should be taken not as a drink for pleasure - this is a direct path to intoxication, namely as a medicine - one tablespoon each.
The question "does the vessel dilate cognac" is often heard by therapists and cardiologists. They usually do not recommend such “therapy” to their patients, as many people overdo it with a dosage, as a result of which they only worsen their condition. Large dosages of cognac not only do not dilate blood vessels, but also lead to the exact opposite effect. Expands or narrows cognac vessels, directly depends on the used dosages of the drink. It is worth at least slightly exceeding the norm - and the vessels begin to narrow, as a result, the pressure can increase, especially if a person has a tendency to such a reaction.
How cognac use affects a person’s psychological state
It is worth mentioning that ethyl alcohol is a depressant. Among ordinary people, far from medicine, there is an opinion that small or even serious doses of spirits can “relieve” the psyche. This opinion is fundamentally wrong. Moreover, alcoholic beverages always have an extremely negative effect on the psychological state of a person, and contribute to the death of many neurons (nerve cells) due to toxic shock throughout the body.
If a person decides to drink cognac (dilates the vessels of the brain - this is in some cases a great benefit for the body), but as a result exceeds the dosage and reaches intoxication, then the pressure will increase, the patient will feel extremely bad.
Since ethyl alcohol is a depressant, even after a single fact of abuse of cognac or other alcoholic beverage, a person will feel unwell. Anxiety, irritability builds up, unmotivated aggressiveness and unwillingness to work, attempts to painfully compare oneself with other people, and other painful prerequisites may appear.
Fatal effect on internal organs: liver and pancreas
Considering the issue of whether the brandy dilates or narrows the vessels, one cannot ignore its effect on other organs. Of course, in a dosage above 100 ml, cognac negatively affects the state of blood vessels, but it is even more harmful to the liver and pancreas.
In those individuals who regularly allow themselves the abuse of alcoholic beverages, the following pathologies are almost guaranteed on examination:
- chronic pancreatitis at one stage or another;
- gallstone disease (or sand in the gallbladder);
- chronic cholecystitis;
- liver damage can be of a different nature - the state of this organ is largely associated with a hereditary factor and how a person eats.
If a person consumes cognac in its pure form, the mucous membrane of the esophagus and stomach suffers, since this drink has a rather high concentration of ethyl alcohol. If you regularly drink undiluted cognac, then the risk of damage to these organs (larynx, esophagus, stomach) increases, and the risk of neoplasms, both benign and malignant, also increases.
Comparison of cognac and other strong drinks by the degree of negative effect on blood vessels
What dilates blood vessels - vodka or cognac - if the recommended dosage is exceeded? In fact, both of these drinks are approximately equally able to lead to vasodilation, but only if a competent dosing regimen is observed.
A joke was circulated among doctors: "British scientists conducted experiments with alcohol. It turned out that vodka with ice harms the kidneys, brandy dilates blood vessels, whiskey - connections, and gin with ice harms the liver. It turns out that this damn ice is incredibly harmful!" The meaning of the joke is that there is no difference what kind of alcoholic drink to use - if the dosage is exceeded, they are all equally harmful to the cardiovascular system, since the main active ingredient in all of them is one - ethyl alcohol.
How to drink cognac, so as not to harm your own health?
It is permissible occasionally (about a couple of times a month) to use cognac to normalize pressure and well-being in a dosage of one tablespoon. If this dosage is exceeded, slight intoxication begins, a person may want to drink another. As a result, there can be no talk of any therapeutic effect and whether cognac dilates the vessels of the brain. On the contrary, a person only harms his own health.
There is an outflow of blood from the extremities to the brain, which gives the sigal to further “spur” the heart to work. Bottom line: the pressure is growing, the person feels worse. In this case, there can be no talk of any beneficial effect of cognac on the vessels. The opposite effect is observed, up to the point that even a hypertensive crisis is possible.
Can the use of brandy provoke the development of alcoholism?
In people who, by their heredity, are prone to the development of chronic alcoholism (this is a very serious disease that can hardly be corrected), even the use of small doses of brandy on a regular basis can provoke the development of addiction.
If a person has a history of alcohol dependence, then “treatment” with brandy is strictly prohibited. It is highly likely that the patient will “remember” the state of intoxication, which will lead to a relapse of chronic alcoholism.
What stages of alcoholism should be distinguished in narcology?
Modern narcology is a branch of psychiatry and distinguishes three stages of alcoholism:
- The initial stage involves a frequent attraction to drink, while a person always wants to consume more than necessary. There may be memory lapses and inappropriate behavior even with relatively small doses of strong alcoholic beverages.
- In the second stage, tolerance to ethyl alcohol increases. A person can already drink alone, he does not need a company for this. Moreover, he justifies his actions as "treatment", "relaxation", "stress relief".
- At the third stage, irreversible diseases of the internal organs develop, as a result of which a fatal outcome almost always occurs. However, often even making a fatal diagnosis, a person is no longer able to abandon his addiction.
How to independently determine whether a person has a dependence on the use of cognac or other strong drinks
You can independently diagnose yourself with alcoholism by the following symptoms:
- the presence of imaginary justifications for abuse - supposedly you need to take a certain dose for treatment or to relieve fatigue, tension;
- any holiday without drinking alcohol becomes boring and annoying;
- a desire to take a dose of an alcoholic drink alone for one or another far-fetched reason;
- the inability to deny yourself a drink when people around are drinking.
How strong is the hangover syndrome after drinking strong drinks
Why does brandy dilate blood vessels? As mentioned above, the reason is the effect on the body of ethyl alcohol, which is found in any alcoholic beverage. However, if a certain dosage is exceeded in the morning, a hangover syndrome cannot be avoided. And this is always a blow to all body systems.
After drinking cognac, which is considered a strong drink, a hangover syndrome is usually very strong. A person feels very bad, the body receives a strong toxic shock.
What is the difference between withdrawal symptoms and hangover after taking strong drinks
Withdrawal syndrome differs from hangover in that it develops in the second stage of chronic alcoholism. At the same time, the vessels experience toxic impact on themselves to the same extent as the internal organs, as well as the nervous system. The basic rule, which allows us to prevent either a hangover or withdrawal symptoms, is to not attempt to “treat” our diseases with alcoholic drinks.
If there is a need for pressure correction, then it is worth discussing this issue with the doctor and finding an acceptable drug for yourself.